NARRATIVE: RESEARCH INTO WW2

Part 1: Women in WW2

Approximately 7000 women served in women's land army (WLA) formed in 1939 Women working on the land allowed men to serve abroad Although government tried to make these jobs appear glamourous , they often worked in isolated communities. They were paid about 32 shillings a week (1.60) By 1943 the government stopped women from joining armed forces , when there was a shortage of workers in factories and on land. Women in factories would make things for the army such as ammunition, uniforms and airplanes. Worked long hours with little pay, even skilled workers. Women of the rolls royce factory went on strike in Glasgow, scotland . This was considered highly unpatriotic to do during the war and were pelted with food in the streets. Women received a part victory and received the same amount of pay as a semi skilled man

Women's Voluntary service (WVS)

During the blitz on London the WVS (typically older women as younger women were working in factories etc.) Supplied tea and refreshments to reghters, those sheltering in the London underground Took care of people who lost their homes Collected bits of scrap/shrapnel

 Made socks and balaclavas, knitted clothing etc. For soldiers when not on call .

Working at the Auxiliary Territorial Service

- Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) - Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) - Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS)

Wore a Kaki uniform Could use spitres, radar stations, Were not allowed to train to be pilots of war planes Though women statistically had fewer crashes than men, they were not allowed to y the planes being referred to as a menace" when ying, and "do not have the intelligence to scrub the oor of a hospital properly."(C.G. Grey, Aeroplane magazine editor)

Secret Agents
Members of special operations executive (SOE) They would be usually parachuted into occupied france or landed in planes. Their role was to nd out information about the enemy to support their allies for the planned landings in normandy in June 1944 It was a very dangerous role as the agents could easily get caught, tortured and/or killed. Two famous SOE members were Violette Szabo and Odette Churchill - they were both awarded the George cross bravery award . They were captured and tortured. Szabo was killed by the Gestapo (secret police of Nazi Germany) although Churchill survived.

Entertainment
Most famous female entertainers during the war :- Vera Lynn (Dame Vera Lynn) and Gracie Fields. - Vera Lynn was known as the Forces Sweetheart, and she sang songs such as therell be blue birds over the white cliffs of dover and well meet again

Nursing
Many were stationed in singapore which was also a base for allied forces. Was also considered a dangerous job to have The Japanese bombed the area, while about 64 nurses were evacuated on the ship Vyner Brooke some drowned. A group of nurses were captured by japanese and were shot on a beach in Banka, Indonesia, by machine gun. The only survivor was Vivian Bullwinkel who pretended to be dead even though she was just injured.

Sources: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/women_WW2.htm http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/womeninuniform/wwii_intro.htm http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/explore-history/australia-wwii/home-wii/roles-women-wwii